This is a non-provisional application claiming priority under 35 USC Section 119 (a)-(d) to New Zealand patent application 510,443 filed Mar. 9, 2001, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of constructing a surface for drainage, and a kit of parts forming components required to produce such a drainage surface.
2. State of the Art
The conventional method of producing a drainage surface which slopes from several or all sides to a common drainage point is to first form a solid base with the required slope or slopes, for example using plaster or cement, and then to apply some form of sealant and/or surface coating to that surface. For example, in the construction of a tiled shower base, the conventional approach is to decide where the drainage point is to be; then to create drainage surfaces, with plaster or cement, extending from that drainage point to the intended perimeter of the shower; allowing the cement to dry (which may take several days); sealing the dry surface (for example with a fibreglass sheet); and then tiling the sealed surface. This is a time consuming process requiring the skills of several different trades.
The alternative means of producing a shower base is to use a prefabricated base. However, pre-fabricated bases do not result in a product with the same aesthetic qualities. Furthermore, the positioning of the drainage point is essentially fixed with a pre-fabricated base.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,140,789 (De Gooyer) describes a segmented underlay for use in installing a tile floor of a shower. In use, the members of the underlay are placed in the desired position on the subfloor, the shower pan is then laid on the underlay, and tiles are adhered to the pan. The product in U.S. Pat. No. 5,140,789, advertised under the tradename PRO-SLOPE(trademark) by The Noble Company (www.noblecompany.com), is formed from expanded polystyrene. The instructions for installing the product require that a mortar bed be laid on the PRO-SLOPE(trademark) product and tiles are adhered to the mortar bed. The PRO-SLOPE(trademark) product comes with xe2x80x9cextensionsxe2x80x9d which are used where the wall is more than 20xe2x80x3 from the center of the drain. The extensions are not pre-sloped, so, if a slope is desired, it must be created under the extension. For more information, see wwww.noblecompany.com/pdf/proinstall.pdf.
3. Objectives
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of constructing a drainage surface, a panel for such a construction, and/or a kit of parts to produce such a surface, which reduces or overcomes at least one of the above-mentioned problems, or which at least provides the public with a useful alternative.
Other objects of the invention may become apparent from the following description which is given by way of example only.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of constructing a drainage surface for a drainage area having a defined drainage point, the method including:
(a) defining the drainage area,
(b) defining the drainage point within the drainage area,
(c) taking a plurality of uniform support members, each support member comprising a planar unit and including one substantially flat surface and an opposite drainage surface forming a slope from an outer region at which the unit is thicker to an inner corner at which the unit is thinner, the plurality of support members capable of forming a substantially continuous drainage surface when the inner corners adjoin the drainage point;
(e) if required, cutting or shaping outer regions of the support members to fit the defined drainage area;
(f) positioning the support members in the defined drainage area to form a substantially continuous drainage surface;
(g) forming a seal over the support members.
In one preferred form, each uniform support member may be in the form of a substantially square panel or a substantially right-angle triangular panel.
Preferably, the support members, or at least the outer regions thereof, are formed from a rigid foam material with a density from about 80 to about 200 kilograms of chemical per cubic meter of final product, and most preferably about 100 kilograms of chemical per cubic meter of final product. For instance, the support members may be formed from rigid polyurethane foam (generally comprising a mixture of polyol/isocyanate). Such polyurethane foam may be purchased commercially from Bayer.
Various advantages are thought to be associated with the material used to make the support members herein, especially compared to the polystyrene foam material of the PRO-SLOPE(trademark) device. In particular, the support members are formed from material that is denser and more rigid than the PRO-SLOPE(trademark) material, but, nonetheless, is readily cut, snapped or shaped, e.g. using a knife or other tool. Also, the support members are formed from a material to which a waterproof membrane can readily adhere, without pretreatment. Moreover, due to the characteristics of the support members herein, a shower pan or mortar base between the support members and the tiles is no longer required. Hence, the thickness of the base at the waste position is reduced to a much lower profile than the outside edge of the drainage surface, compared to a drainage surface which includes a mortar bed between the tiles and a support member.
Preferably, the slope on the drainage surface of each support member may have an angle in the range 1.5-3xc2x0; more preferably an angle of about 2xc2x0.
In an alternative form, the method may further include the use of supplementary support members to complete the drainage surface, each said supplementary support member having one flat surface and an opposing surface sloping at substantially the same angle as the main support members, said supplementary support members adapted to abut or engage with an outer edge of a main support member and continue the slope of the drainage surface.
In one preferred form the drainage surface may be a shower base.
According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a drainage surface formed by a method as herein described.
According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a kit of parts for constructing a drainage surface for a drainage area having a defined drainage point, said kit of parts including a plurality of uniform support members each support member comprising a planar unit and including one substantially flat surface and an opposite drainage surface forming a slope from an outer region at which the unit is thicker to an inner corner at which the unit is thinner, the plurality of support members capable of forming a substantially continuous drainage surface when the inner corners adjoin the drainage point.
Preferably each uniform support member may be in the form of a substantially square panel or a substantially right-angle triangular panel.
Preferably, the kit of parts may include four uniform support members.
In a further preferred form the kit of parts may further include a plurality of supplementary support members, each supplementary support member having one flat surface and an opposing surface sloping at substantially the same angle as the main support members, said supplementary support members adapted to abut or engage with an outer edge of a main support member and continue the slope of the drainage surface.
Preferably the kit of parts may include at least four supplementary support members.
Preferably the kit of parts may further include at least one sill section, the or each sill adapted to define a limit to the drainage area. Preferably, the sill has a sloped surface and optionally has a greater slope than the support members and/or supplementary support members (for instance, about 2-4xc2x0 C., more preferably about 3xc2x0 C.).
According to a further aspect of the invention there is provided a support member for supporting a drainage surface in a drainage area having a defined drainage point, said support member comprising a planar unit and including one substantially flat surface, an opposite drainage surface forming a slope from an outer region at which the unit is thicker to an inner corner at which the unit is thinner, and edges extending from the inner corner to the outer region, each edge adapted to abut or interengage with a corresponding edge of an adjacent support member to extend the drainage surface in a substantially continuous manner, and, said inner corner having an angle divisible into 360xc2x0.
Preferably the drainage surface may slope at an angle in the range 1.5-3xc2x0; more preferably about 2xc2x0.
In one preferred form the support member may be in the form of a substantially square panel or a substantially right angle triangular panel.
Preferably, the support member, or at least the outer regions thereof, is made from a rigid foam material with a density from about 80 to about 200 kilograms of chemical per cubic meter of final product.
Other aspects of the present invention may become apparent from the following description which is given by way of example only.